The opening practice session for the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg delivered unexpected drama on the streets of Florida, as two of the sport’s most accomplished drivers—Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing and Josef Newgarden of Team Penske—found themselves in separate incidents that highlighted the challenges of adapting to the demanding 1.8-mile temporary circuit.
The session, held on Friday, February 27, marked the first on-track action of the year for the series, with drivers shaking down their machines ahead of qualifying and the main race. While Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin emerged as the fastest overall, posting a strong lap on the quicker alternate compound tires, the headlines were dominated by the mishaps involving Dixon and Newgarden. Both incidents occurred during Practice 1, bringing out red flags and forcing the drivers to explain what went wrong in post-session interviews.
Scott Dixon, the six-time series champion and Chip Ganassi Racing veteran entering his 26th season, suffered the more significant contact. Piloting the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda, Dixon was pushing on a fresh set of the softer Firestone alternate tires (red sidewalls) during Group 1 running. As he approached Turn 9—a tricky left-hander that demands precise entry and commitment—he experienced sudden oversteer. The car snapped loose on corner entry, and in an attempt to correct it, Dixon over-adjusted, sending the machine straight into the outside concrete barrier in a near head-on impact.
The collision sheared off the front wing entirely and scraped the left-front tire and suspension components, causing substantial damage to the front end of the car. The incident occurred with less than three minutes left in the group session, ending Dixon’s running prematurely and bringing out a red flag. Fortunately, no other cars were directly involved, though Team Penske’s David Malukas narrowly avoided the scene.
Dixon returned to the pits and spoke with FOX reporter Bob Pockrass about the moment. “Before turning in, got loose, and over-corrected and lost it,” he explained. “Kind of a frustrating one.” He noted that the slide had some luck on his side, as the car didn’t rotate fully or collect worse damage. “So that one wasn’t too bad,” Dixon added, downplaying the severity despite the visible wreckage. The crash marked an inauspicious start for the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 9 entry, which finished the session in 15th place overall after completing 20 laps with a best time of 1:01.800.
Meanwhile, Josef Newgarden, the two-time Indy 500 winner and Team Penske driver, encountered his own unusual moment in a separate incident. In Turn 13, another left-hander leading toward the run to Turn 14, Newgarden’s No. 2 Chevrolet got loose under braking or mid-corner, sending the car into a spin. Instead of slamming into the tire barrier head-on, the car slid through the adjacent grass and dirt runoff area before lightly contacting the barriers. The “dirt excursion,” as it was described in highlights, absorbed much of the energy, and Newgarden’s machine sustained only minor damage—far less severe than Dixon’s.
Newgarden also brought out a red flag with his off-track adventure but was able to continue after inspections. The incident was milder in terms of impact, allowing him to post a competitive time of 1:01.782, good enough for 14th in the combined results after 19 laps. While specific quotes from Newgarden on the exact cause were not as extensively detailed in immediate reports, the slide through the grass and dirt was noted as effectively doing its job in preventing heavier contact, a testament to the circuit’s safety features.
These early incidents underscored the fine margins at St. Petersburg, where drivers are still dialing in car setups, tire behavior, and track conditions after the offseason. The street course’s bumpy surface, tight barriers, and mix of high-speed straights with technical corners make it unforgiving, especially on the alternate tires that offer more grip but less forgiveness when limits are exceeded. Both Dixon and Newgarden, known for their consistency and smooth driving styles, found themselves victims of the classic “push too hard too soon” scenario that often plagues opening sessions.
For Chip Ganassi Racing, the crash added to an already challenging start for Dixon’s program. The team, which fields multiple competitive entries including Alex Palou’s championship-contending No. 10, now faces repair work and setup tweaks overnight to ensure the No. 9 is race-ready. Dixon’s experience will be crucial as the weekend progresses, with Practice 2, qualifying, and the race still to come. His quest for a seventh series title adds extra pressure, but his post-crash demeanor remained pragmatic and focused on recovery.
Newgarden’s lighter contact allowed Team Penske to maintain momentum, especially with McLaughlin’s session-topping pace demonstrating the team’s strength on the street circuits. Penske drivers have historically performed well at St. Pete, and Newgarden’s ability to limit damage kept his weekend on track.
As the series kicks off the 2026 campaign, these incidents serve as a reminder that even the most seasoned competitors can encounter surprises in the opening hours. With no injuries reported and both cars repairable, attention now shifts to how Dixon and Newgarden rebound in subsequent sessions. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg promises more action, with the full field—including reigning champion Alex Palou and other title contenders—set to battle on the challenging downtown layout.
The unusual nature of the crashes—over-correction for Dixon and a grass-slowing spin for Newgarden—provided valuable data for teams analyzing tire performance and car balance early in the year. As explanations from the drivers filtered through media scrums and broadcasts, it became clear that these were not mechanical failures but driver-induced moments in the heat of pushing for speed. Such incidents, while frustrating, often contribute to stronger setups as the weekend unfolds.
